Thursday, October 30, 2014

It was a year ago today that the Hexes and Soldiers Wargame Podcast hit the air waves.

A lot has happened since the first show. I had no idea it would take me this far and even less of an idea that i would be hawking my own games. I can't say that every show has been golden or that there weren't times when i just didn't feel like going on but here i am still and though its been a hot minute since the last episode, fear not, i have a few more up my sleeve.

That said, to all of you who have taken the time to listen, and to all of you who invested in Platoon Leader, Thanks and keep gaming!!!

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

"Cold Combat!", the first expansion pack for "Platoon Leader" will go on sale Halloween night at midnight. It will list for $9.99 via EBAY or BGG Market Place. Additionally, for a limited time you may purchase both "Platoon Leader" and "Cold Combat!" as a bundle for $19.99.

"Cold Combat!" is not a stand alone game. You must own "Platoon Leader" to play "Cold Combat!".

H&S GAMES is excited to announce the first expansion pack for "Platoon Leader." Within "Cold Combat!" you will find: all brand new scenarios, a winterized map board, additional counters, and rules for: snipers, the Waffen SS, smoke, wounded leaders and an optional advanced panic rule.

"Platoon Leader" is a tactical infantry game of WW2 that puts you in charge of three platoons of paratroopers. As you work towards achieving your objectives, Germans are activated via random draw. This offers a high level of solitaire suitability and replay ability. The combat system revolves around suppression. When a squad's level of suppression exceeds its current strength, it routes.

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

ASL Journal Six, long absent from my collection will soon be coming home. 12 scenarios, Chapter Z rules, and the mini HASL Primosole Bridge. Primosole
Bridge depicts a British attempt to capture a strategic bridge across the
Simeto River during the invasion of Sicily in 1943 by using a glider landing to
attempt a coup-de-main to allow Allied forces to advance (imagine an “A Bridge
Too Far” situation, but with only one bridge involved). The British
captured the bridge, but the relieving force fell behind schedule (a la “A
Bridge Too Far” again). The British lost the bridge and had to fight to
get it back again, including fighting against German reinforcements who
themselves landed by parachute, making this the only battle in World War II in
which both sides used air landings.

Not bad eh?

Looking forward to: ASL Action Pack 10. Currently still on preorder but has to be close to shipping by now.

ASL Journal 11? Anyone? Bueller?

Cold Combat, the first expansion for Platoon Leader should be hitting the printers either this weekend or the next. I'm very excited about this release as there are a number of new and improved morsels!

Other than that, the 25th Annual New Orleans Film Fest has bee a riot. Six days of films so far and one to go. Highlights this year include the documentary Jingle Bell Rocks about obsessed X-mas Rock N Roll Vinyl collectors. Biggest upset of the fest: Not being able to see The Imitation Game.

Monday, October 13, 2014

Cold Combat, the first expansion for Platoon Leader is nearing the final stages of production. A new, graphic turn track / orders track will be included. I am also refining an optional, advanced rule for the base game that deals with panic. As sudden encounters arise, so too does the potential for troops to panic. A target release date of late October is pretty much a certainty (barring an act of God), so boo early and keep an eye out for Cold Combat!!!

Friday, October 10, 2014

Here's to another kind of Winter Offensive, the 2014-15 Hockey Season but more importantly, the St. Louis Blues. Fighting since '67 for that ever elusive cup, each battle brings the Blues that much closer. Welcome back gentlemen, we've been waiting 47 years...LETS GO BLUES!!!

Cold Combat!

Playtesting (or Testplaying?) Update:

The first scenario for Cold Combat is in the books. The second is completely broken and needs to be overhauled while the third is going well so far. It will be close but the target date of at least a late October release should still be a go. If not, then start singing "Cold November Rain." Bottom line is, i'm not rushing this out the door.

So far, playtesting has consisted of two games in one, the one on the surface, and the "Whack-a-mole" game that lurks underneath. The latter consists of "moles" that appear within the game. Just as you hammer one down, boing, another pops up.

I've had a lot of fun playing the Platoon Leader system which reminds me of a barely tamed wild animal. It's just domestic enough to do what it's been trained to do, but rarely the way you might want it to. It seems to have a mind of its own and more than once has given me whiplash for it seems to use the same "lead foot" on the gas pedal as it does on the break. Fly through one turn and grind through another, that's the Platoon Leader way.

So enough of this already, time to pick up my metaphorical Mjolnir (Thor nod) and continue pounding the hell out of those "moles."

On the 30th of this month, it will be exactly a year ago that the Hexes and Soldiers offensive began. It has been a great run and as I near my objectives I thought I would share a progress report that spans the lifetime of the show thus far.

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Some arguments will never die and unfortunately (or fortunately) the age old debate of "What was the best tank of ww2" is one of those arguments. In this episode i narrowed the playing field down to three tanks in particular: The Firefly, the Panther, and the T-34/85. No, the STUG is not in the running as technically it is not a tank. Nor is the Tiger for that matter (even though it is a tank). The list is compiled of tanks that have an optimal blend of the "holy trinity": speed, armor and firepower.
Tons of games include armor but not all of them showcase armor and of those that do not all of them showcase armor well. As such, i took a look at the fundamentals of tank portrayal within games via 2 wargaming corner stones: Panzerblitz and Panzer leader, and a wargaming capstone: ASL. This list is is by no means comprehensive and for time purposes i just wouldn't be able to examine the tank within every game worth looking at.
So what is the best tank of ww2? The question is not as simple as it may seem. Sure we can look at tank design on paper but that leaves out a flurry of things from commander, to tactics, to experience, etc. If we look at the three aforementioned tanks in light of those things we may get a different answer each time. That said, the fundamental question remains, what is the best tank of ww2? I guess you'll just have to listen to the show, (or take a hint from this page.)